010 - "Can I touch your hair?" is a question a lot of African-Americans hear at some point in their life. The question seems so innocent, so innocuous, but is it? Co-hosts Randy Bonser and Mel Turner explore the layered meaning behind this simple question and explain how touching someone's hair harkens back to when Black people were treated as animals or circus acts, and they point out the uncomfortable power dynamic the question brings up. We also feature special guest Dr. Ange...
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010 - "Can I touch your hair?" is a question a lot of African-Americans hear at some point in their life. The question seems so innocent, so innocuous, but is it? Co-hosts Randy Bonser and Mel Turner explore the layered meaning behind this simple question and explain how touching someone's hair harkens back to when Black people were treated as animals or circus acts, and they point out the uncomfortable power dynamic the question brings up. We also feature special guest Dr. Ange...
006 - The statement "You are so well-spoken!", although it may be meant as a compliment by a White person, is not a compliment. Cohosts Randy and Mel explain that the phrase may come out as "I didn't know you were Black from the way you talk" or "You sound just like a white person." However the phrase comes out, "You are so well-spoken" reveals an innate negative expectation. It sounds like you thought the person you are talking to was going to speak an unintelligible sub-language...
The White People's Guide to Insensitive Speech
010 - "Can I touch your hair?" is a question a lot of African-Americans hear at some point in their life. The question seems so innocent, so innocuous, but is it? Co-hosts Randy Bonser and Mel Turner explore the layered meaning behind this simple question and explain how touching someone's hair harkens back to when Black people were treated as animals or circus acts, and they point out the uncomfortable power dynamic the question brings up. We also feature special guest Dr. Ange...